(A) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-dimensional data registration integrated circuit for driving array-arrangement devices, and more particularly, to a multi-dimensional integration and multi-task chip for driving a large microelectronic array system.
(B) Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a traditional two-dimensional address selection circuit for driving 25 nozzles of a printhead. A two-dimensional address selection circuit 10 comprises a plurality of address selection lines A1-A5 and a plurality of data lines D1-D5. A plurality of array-arrangement control units 11 are at the intersections of the plurality of address selection lines A1-A5 and the plurality of data lines D1-D5. Each of the control units 11 comprises a transistor 111 and a resistor 112 for controlling a corresponding nozzle (not shown) to shoot a micro-scale ink droplet. When a transistor 111 is turned on by its connected address selection line, the data line connected to the transistor 111 supplies the resistor 112 connected to the transistor 111 with a pulse voltage. A bubble is generated through the pulse voltage, and a microdroplet is forced out of a corresponding nozzle by the bubble. G1-G5 in this figure represent ground terminals.
The printing technology of inkjet printers is continuously improving, because the requirements for high printing quality and resolution continue to increase. As ink droplet sizes are reduced, higher printing resolution of inkjet printers becomes feasible. However, the printing speed is reduced if only the resolution is improved. Most current inkjet printheads utilize the two-dimensional address selection circuit in FIG. 1 to directly drive their nozzle arrays to shoot micro ink droplets. When higher printing speed and greater resolution is needed, the driving time should be reduced and more nozzles have to be simultaneously controlled. Unfortunately, the aforesaid two-dimensional driving circuit or one-dimensional driving circuit limits the printing speed and allowable printhead number. For simultaneously improving both printing speed and resolution, more nozzles have to be provided on a single printhead chip. However, it appears that the two-dimensional driving circuit or one-dimensional driving circuit cannot satisfy such requirements.
The aforesaid technology can also be applied to drive array-arrangement thermal-optical switches, and the thermal-optical switches can control resistors to generate heat through direct current in current development. When the current passes the resistor-type heater ring, the metal film of the ring becomes hot, and the heat distribution of the branches of the waveguide changes. Accordingly, the refraction indexes of the waveguide under the heater ring change. Therefore, the optical couple can be direct from the main of the waveguide to the destination branch of the waveguide, hence the optical switches can be specified to open or close. However, such a system of thermal-optical switches cannot satisfy the requirements for large amounts of data to be transmitted, stored, exchanged and processed at high speed. Because the number of the thermal-optical switches is great, driving the resistors through direct current causes low reliability, low switch speed and temperature instability of the resistors.
Furthermore, many additional external pads are needed when the number of the thermal-optical switches arranged in an array is increased. Consequentially, the cost and failure rate of the package are increased. For example, an array comprising 300 thermal-optical switches needs 302 external pads. It is necessary for each of these external pads to have a good electrical connection with an external driving circuit board. However, if any of the external pads does not have a good electrical connection, the corresponding thermal-optical switches will fail to normally operate so that the designated paths of the waveguide cannot be heated. That is, the optical coupling effects cannot be passed from the main of the waveguide to the branch of the waveguide. If the number of external pads can be reduced and the same number of the thermal-optical switches still can be controlled, the aforesaid problems can be resolved.